In a daring theft that has left law enforcement puzzled, approximately 3,000 Nintendo Switch 2 consoles were pilfered from a stationary semi-truck at a truck stop in Bennett. The theft took place under the veil of night and involved the removal of multiple pallets containing the highly coveted gaming devices.
Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson, Anders Nelson, stated that the truck driver discovered the break-in at the Love’s truck stop. The driver, who was oblivious to the valuable contents of his trailer, was shocked to find the locks compromised and the merchandise gone. The stolen consoles, priced at $499 each, amount to a loss of over $1 million for Nintendo.
Steve Beaty, a computer science professor at MSU Denver, suggested that these stolen goods are unlikely to surface in traditional marketplaces. “The stolen consoles are likely to end up on the dark web or even shipped overseas,” Beaty said, highlighting the ease of anonymous online trading of such items.
Despite the temptation of lower prices, Beaty cautioned potential buyers against acquiring these stolen goods. Each console comes with a unique serial number that needs to be registered to access games and updates. This feature allows Nintendo to track and potentially disable, or “brick,” the device remotely.
For those keen on acquiring the new console, Beaty recommended sticking to trustworthy retailers. “If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is,” he warned, pointing out the risk of ending up with a non-functional device.
Investigators are still trying to ascertain whether the theft took place at the Bennett location or during another stop along the truck’s route. The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office is appealing to anyone with information to step forward.